Snorkle Repair Help Needed

[Larry Barrieau]

Hi, I'm disassembling a snorkle and have run into a problem. It has to do with the screw in the blind cap. I turn it counterclockwise but it doesn' back out. Could it be stripped? I have turned it dozens of turns and there is a small amount of resistance but the screw doesn't spin like it's loose. Any ideas? Thanks Larry

[redbike]

With that many rotations and no movement, stripped threads sounds possible. Can you apply slight upward pressure on the blind cap as you try to remove the screw?

[Larry Barrieau]

Maybe, I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[Larry Barrieau]

Thanks but it didn't work. I have to push up to engage the slot in the screw, so when I pull up on the blind cap it disengages.

[Federalist Pens]

If the screw is NOT turning- Sounds like someone GLUED it in there......

 

Maybe someone else has a better solution-

If it were me, I would sacrifice that blind cap to get the pen working right- then find a replacement!

 

Frank

[Nomad]

There's a chance you've fully unscrewed the screw. The blind cap nonetheless is tightly fitted over the end of the plunger tube and doesn't just fall off when the screw is out.

 

The only way you'll find out is if you gently yank the blind cap and it comes off. The danger, of course, is that you will strip not the threads on the screw, which are metal, but the grooves in the blind cap, which is plastic. However, if you've turned the screw dozens of turns, it should be fully disengaged by now.

 

Nonetheless, understand that any move you make at this point is at your own risk. I've attempted repairs on four snorkels to date. Three succeeded. The fourth was a casualty to skill acquisition. More experienced restorers may give you better advice.

[viclip]

If the threads in the blind cap are stripped & the screw can't be coaxed out with a screwdriver, I would first try a strongly magnetized probe-like tool to "grab" the screw & coax it out.

 

Failing which I would resort to applying a dab of epoxy to a wood dowel eg. those which are sold to make city chickens, thence affixing same to the screw head. After the epoxy cures you should be able to coax the screw out.

 

All followed by repairing the female threads in the blind cap thereafter.

Edited July 6, 2015 by viclip

[jaxxon]

This may be a bit off topic but I just have to say it. I am 85 years young and have not heard the term "City Chicken" for a long long time. My mother used to make it and it was one of our favorite Sunday night dinners. For anyone who doesn't know what it is she put alternate squares of veal and pork on the skewer, dusted them with a seasoned flour and sauteed them in a skillet or baked them in the oven. Always leaving 2 to 3 inches at the end of the skewer bare. You could then eat them like a ckicken leg. OMG I can't believe I saw that term again!!!

 

Just to keep it on topic I make new replacement Vacumatic fillers, buy, sell and restore fountain pens. That will keep it on topic.

[Tweel]

"City Chicken" ... then there are "Yard Bird" (chicken) and "Arkansas Wedding Cake" (Wonder Bread).

 

Maybe you could work the screw out with a pair of crocodile forceps.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Tweel

[Flounder]

Larry, perhaps the threads are stripped, or perhaps the situation is that they're fine, and the screw has already come all the way out from its shaft, and the friction of a thicker than usual blind cap gasket is holding the blind cap in place.

 

Try the opposite approach - lightly press the blind cap and screw together as you turn the screwdriver. While pressing them together, see if you can feel the screw engage the shaft as you screw it in, or feel the tell tale click as you unscrew, letting you know the screw is fully disengaged from the shaft. The blind cap slots a ways onto the touchdown tube, and slight friction between the two can give the impression the screw is still in its slot.

[Ron Z]

Two of the suggestions here are on the right track. There is of course the possibility that you aren't engaging the screw properly so the thing isn't turning at all. But I assume you're experienced enough to know when that is happening.

 

It is not uncommon to find that the screw IS backing out but that the blind cap is a very snug fit on the TD rod. If you can unscrew it enough, the screw should pretty much fall out of the touchdown tube when your screwdriver is withdrawn. But it could also be held in the tube at the very end by the rubber washer seal under the blind cap. You may not feel a jump as it rotates over the threads.

 

If it doesn't fall out, and doesn't jump as you turn the screw CCW, and the blind cap doesn't want to come off, then the plastic threads in the blind cap are most likely stripped. Not common, but not rare. It happens. Try gripping the TD with the lower three fingers of your left hand (if right handed, reverse if not) while pushing up on the blind cap with thumb and index finger. If that doesn't work, you will have to yank the blind cap off. Don't worry about stripping the threads, as they're stripped already. It is possible to solvent weld in a plastic plug, and drill to take the screw. The screws used are self tapping, so you don't have to tap threads. If you don't want to do that, replace the blind cap. Don't glue or shellac it on, which is something I've seen done. <shudder> It isn't pretty, and usually means that I have to replace both blind cap and TD tube to restore the pen.

[Flounder]

Apols if all this is old hat Larry, don't know how many Snorkels you've reSnorkelated. These pics show the size of the screw head slot (about 4mm by 1mm), and give you an idea how far the touchdown tube extends into the blindcap.

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/IMG_1055_800x600.jpg

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/IMG_1047_800x450.jpg

 

edit - ps, since those snaps wre taken, we've witnessed the arrival of new-manufacture vacumatic pumps, new vac pump springs, new Snorkel springs, new blue diamond clips, and now even new aluminium Parker 51 jewels.

 

So how come we still have to make do with DIY Snorkel blind cap gaskets, like railway hobos? I mean, surely they're easier to make than brass vac units etc.?

Edited July 6, 2015 by Flounder

[Ron Z]

I'm sure that Francis could come up with a punch for that too. I just have scads of them from Sheaffer, so haven't asked. You could use an old bicycle tube to make a lifetime supply, and the rubber would last a long time too.

[Flounder]

It's the thickness consideration that worries me Ron.

 

If someone picks up their first 'FULLY RESTORED A1 MINT' Snorkel (ahem-ity hem), and has never seen an original gasket, they won't know how thick to cut it. This runs the risk of tightening up the screw to make up for too thin a gasket, and potentially stressing (or worse) the blind cap.

 

It seems a shame there aren't better options out there, that's all. I know it's not a huge deal 9 times out of 10.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Flounder

[Ron Z]

 

 

It's the thickness consideration that worries me Ron.

 

I hear you, but don't think its that critical. There are times though when the blind cap is too deep for one reason or another and the end of the blind cap hits the taper on the TD tube, or it won't seal with one gasket, so I've had to stack two under the blind cap to get a good seal. There is enough thread on the screw to get away with it. I'll have to measure the OEM ones that I have to see how thick they are. Pretty close I think to the head gasket rubber, which is about 26-27 thousandths. Most rubber available from vendors is 15 thousandths or 31 thousandths.

[adyf]

I'm sure that Francis could come up with a punch for that too.

 

If Francis read this and would consider making them available, then I would buy one.

[Larry Barrieau]

Thanks everyone, I just got back from a short trip and will try these suggestions.

[mariom]

To my shame, I managed to strip the threads on a snorkel blind cap. I rectified the situation by filling the hole with epoxy (using a toothpick as an applicator) and, after it cured, drilling a pilot hole and carefully putting the screw in. Worked a treat.

[Larry Barrieau]

Ok, A couple of things, 1. I have done a dozen or so Touchdowns so the fact that it is a snorkle doesn't have anything to do with this blind cap problem. 2. I have done one snorkle and it didn't turn out so good, I'll take it apart and try again when I feel better about it. But trying it taught me a lot. I got the blind cap off of this pen with Ron's suggestion of holding on to the TD tube and popping in off with my thumb and index finger. Thanks Ron!! And thanks everyone. I still have a problem and that is the screw won't come out. It spins but has some resistance. So I will pick it out with a sharp dentists tool, put epoxy in as mariom suggests, drill the small hole and make a washer which Rob describes. Oh, and someone suggested a new blind cap, well this is a buckskin color snorkle and a little less common than some other colors. And if my next step doesn't work I'll search for one.

[redbike]

Can you push down on the screw end to remove it from the tube? Or hold the tube with protruding screw end against a hard surface while using a screwdriver to remove the screw? Glad you've made some progress.

I still have a problem and that is the screw won't come out. It spins but has some resistance. So I will pick it out with a sharp dentists tool, put epoxy in as mariom suggests, drill the small hole and make a washer which Rob describes.